Battery hand-lamp



C. H'AMBUECHEN.

BATTERY HAND LAMP.

APPLICATloN man APR.13, |917.

Patented May 10, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

fgwvemfoz Aff Maw @3313 fltozums.

C. HAMBUECHEN.

BATERY HAND LAMP.

APPLICATION man APA.\3,\917.

' 1,377,477. Patented May 10,1921.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

x .N a A A 51A/UM ou M @13 .woll/Megs.

UNITED sra'res .eier essere.

' y CARL'HAMBUECHEN' on BELLEVILLE, ILLiNoIs. nssIeNon, BY NrnsNn ASSIGNMENTS To NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, iNc., or CLEVELAND. oiiio, A CoareaAmIoN @El NEW YORK.

Specification cf Letters .Patent BATTERY HAND-LA L'VIP.

Patented May i0, i921.

Application filed. April 13, 1917. Serial No. 161,701.1..

To Vall who/m, t may concern.: Y

- Beit known that I, CARL HAMBUECHNN, a

` citizen of the United States, and resident of Belleville, county `of St. Clair, and Stateolflillinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Battery Hand- Lamps; and l do hereby declare the iollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descriptien'oi1 the invention, such as will enable othersA skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The present invention relates to lamps or lanterns having an electric light energized from a battery, and having switch mechanism lwhereby the lamp may be lighted or extinguished at the will of the operator.

` The present invention relates more partie-- ularly to such details of construction and suchgeneral .assembly of the several parts asy will permit the device to be roughly handled. f kThe preferred embodiment oi"v the auY invention can be carried in a kit of metal tools without danger of inadvertently lightingV thel lamp through `accidental connection of exposed conductive parts ofthe structure..

'lt is ar further object of the invention to lprotecttheV base of the lamp and more particularly` its inner or central terminal from unduepressure or end thrust, such as might result from hammering oi the battery' thereon Toveffect this -tery is'borne by the reflector and not by the b'aseof the lamp'.

Itis -a further object or" the invention to fprovideia'construction whereof the several parts are easyto malie by ordinary metalworking operations, and when once assembled, are reliable in action and not liable to `disarrangeinent when in the hands oi perf i sonsl not familiar with the principles of elecltricity. f

The *foregoing and other objects and ad- K vantages or the present invention are made clear bythe following description, whichis tofbe taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein" Flgure l is asectional elevation oi' a hand lamp `embodying the present invention and having ka metal casing wherein the lamp and battery-are' housed- Fig. 2 is a similaiview oiE an embodiment wherein the casing is for the most part of insulating material.

Figs. 3 to 7 are details of certain of the parts used in the switch mechanism of Fig. lor 2.

.F 1g. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified form oi hand lamp wherein certain features of the invention are incorporated, more particularly the means for protecting the lampffrom the end thrust or hammering of; the battery.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail in section of the insulating base and Contact member used 'for this purpose.

Fig. l0 is an enlarged plan view of this base as viewed from the iront.

Fig. ll is a plan view of the spring.

vln the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l, the hand lamp comprises a tubular casing l of metal having at its bottom an integral sleeve 2 with threads pressed therein whereon is threaded an end cap 3 carrying a helically coiled spring il, 'for making e`iectrical connection withv the naked bottom et a dry battery 5, preferably oi usual construction and consisting oi a plurality of dry cells arranged end to end in a past-eboard tube.

,At the other end of casing l is an integral threaded sleeve 6 to which is secured a collar i", under the trent flange of which is secured glass lens i rei-lector 9 has an outwardly extending iiange il() which is seated against the end ci' sleeve and is there clamped in position under lens 8.

Threaded into a tubular extension oi reilccter 9 and having its outer terminal in elecf trical connection therewith in usual manner is a lamp ll.

Threaded to the exterior of the reliectors Vtubular extension, or otherwise suitably se- (Fig. 5) stamped up from a disk which is permanently secured in a swage at the bottom koi the cup; .It lis this spring which is relied on to protect the lamp against end thrust, as hereinafter recited.

Contact members 14; and 15 are spaced apart as by the ring of insulation 17 and insulating disk 1S, and the rivets 13, whereby the contact members are held to base-plate 12, pass through openings in contact member 14 which are large enough to prevent electrical connection between the contact members through the rivets. Also, contact member 14 may be provided with a plurality of nipples 14 (Fig. which enter holes in the insulating ring 1T and so prevent rotation of contact member 14 into engagement with the r" Jets. Contact member 'is preferably made in two parts, as shown, the rear part 19 telescoping over the forward part and serving to extend that part' far enough to contact with the central terminal or carbon pole 20 of the dry battery.v

With the several elements constructed and arranged as above described, the end thrust f the batteries due to the pressure of helical spring L1- is taken up by base-plate 12 and delivered to reflector 9 and thence to the screw threads of collar 10, and if the hand lamp be dropped, the hammering of the battery due either to its inertia or to the rebound from spring 1, will tend to crush in the lamp bulb, for even though base 12 may shift forward along the threaded extension of reflector 9, due either to crushing of its threads or a loose lit., there will be enough play to spring contact 1G to protect the bulb of the lamp. rllhis spring contact 16 is also of convenience in insuri fr a permanent connection to the inner or central lamp terminal whether the exterior threads on the lamp base do or do not exactly conform with the threads of the reflector, and when the lamp is once in place, the tension of the spring tends to prevent it from worl1 loose or out of electrical. engagement with its associated contact element.

c is provided slide longii l attached as by rivets 22 to a metal strip the forward.

d rich carries contact bla de 2l movable the between contact elements 1 e that gap and establish 1 v w, Y. u 1 tno flou` of current fiom the innei eat-tory terminal to the inne' lane terminal. This ontact blade er velemcn 2-'1 may be insulated rom metal strip 2f,- as stri 3s 25 and 2G of riveted to the two parts to be connected. Fiber strip 25 preferably entends forward far enough to insure thorough insulation, from metal case 1, of the Contact blade 24 and its connecting rivet.

ln the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the tubular casing 27 is of liber, or other insulating material, provided at its bottom end with an attached threaded sleeve 28, and

at its front end with a similar sleeve 29. Throughout this figure, such parts as are common to Fig. 1 are numbered correspondingly.

Since casing 27 is non-conducting, there must be provided an electrical connection between the helically coiled spring /1 and the reflector at the other end of the casing. To effect this result, there is provided a metal strip 30 extending through the tube from end to end and having its rear end contacting with collar 28, and consequently in electrical connection with spring 4.-, and having its front end in contact with sleeve 29. In this way, one pole of the battery is permanently connected tothe outer terminal of the lamp and the other or front pole of the battery `can be connected with the inner terminal of the lamp through forward movement of thumb-piece 21 and its associated parts.

i. battery hand lamp constructed as above described has the adf'antage that it can be placed .in a tool kit among metal tools without danger of accidental lighting of the lamp through contact of exposed metal LTiarts Yith metal tools in the kit. ln this sense, the hand lamp is non-short-circuiting.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 1, all of the exposed metal parts are of the ln tl e moduication illustrated in Fig. 2, the metal fittings at the ends of the lamp :"I2 tln c- Nfll ,f' 7 vif L L] 1. 1^, oclllle lhrlllu), .,L., lab 0. L1@ om ci' the battery, and the metal thumbc The battery 36 is of usual constructionr and urged toward the lam i b a coiled s ring J 1j carried in usual manner by the end cap The other details of the casing are not important, for the novelty resides more particularlf-fY in the means whereby in a battery hand mp of this general construction the lamp oase is 1protected from the endy thrust Aof the battery and from shocks and hammering incident to rough usage. The protective means comprises an insulating base 39 threaded or otherwise suitably secured o reflector and carrying a contact Inem- .)er 40, preferably in the form of a flanged cup envelopingand completely inclosing the protruding end. of the lamp and secured'to the base bya plurality `of rivetsill. This vwith when the inner or adjacent battery terminal 43 .rests against the lcontact member 40, as shown. in Fig. 8. Spring nl2 may be in the form of a spring` linger stamped up from a disk, as indicated in Fig. il,

and the diskfmay be permanently `ecured in a swage at the bottom of the cup, as

shown in F ig. 9.

l claim Vl. in a handlamp, the combination or" a lamp, a battery, means connecting one pole ot the battery with the outer terminal ot the lamp and switch mechanism between the *other pole Voi thebattery and the inner termmal' of the lamp, said mechanism com- .'prising annular Contact members spaced apart, one of which has spring'yieldingly engagingv the inner lamp terminal and the other of whichfengages the-battery pole, and means for bridging` the gap between said contact members when the lamp is to be lighted. y

2. In a hand lamp, the combination of a lamp, a battery, means connecting one lprising annular dished contact ymembers spaced apart, one of which has af spring inger yieldingly engaging the inner lamp terminal and the other ot which engages lamp, a battery, means connecting one pole the battery pole, andV means for bridging the gap between said contact members when the lamp is to be lighted. t

3. In a hand lamp, the combination of a ofthe battery with the outer terminal or vthe lamp and switch mechanism between the other pole of thebattery and the'inner terminal of the lamp, said mechanism compris ,ing contact vmembers spaced apart, one ot which yieldingly engages the inner lamp vrterminal and the other ot which engages the 4battery pole, means Vtor bridging the gap between said V,Contact members when Athe lamp is to beV lighted, a thumb-piece tor actuating said bridging means, and a casing At'or said battery whereon `said thumb-piece is v mountedfor movement longitudinally toward said lamp thereof.

t. ln a battery hand lamp, the combination of a casing, a battery and a lamp the other of which Lengagesthe battery terminal, and a contact blade movable toward said lamp to connect said contact members when the lamp is to be lighted.

5. ln a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing, a battery and a lamp therein, an insulating base encircling the base oi? said lamp, a pair of dished contact members mounted on said base. and

spaced apart by `insulating material', one of'y said members yieldingly engaging the inner lamp terminal and the other ot said memvbers contacting with the upper battery terminal, and means for bridging, the gap between said dished members when desired.

6. ln a battery hand lamp, the combinathe inner terminal of said lamp, saidpcircuit controlling means comprising contact members spaced apart, one of'which yieldingly engages the inner vlamp terminal and the other of which engages the adjacent battery pole, a conductor movable toward said lamp to bridge said space' when the lamp Vis to be lightethand a thumb-piece mounted to slide longitudinally ot said casing andoperatively connected to actuate said conductor; substantially as described.

e 7. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing', a metal cap secured to one end of said casing and carrying a Contact spring, a collar secured to the other end ot said casing, alens and a reflector held in position Aby said collar, a lamp within said reflector, means tor maintaining electrical connection between said contact spring and one terminal of said lamp, a battery within said casing with its bottom contacting with said contact spring, and switch mechanismtor connecting the inner terminal ot said lamp with the upper battery terminal, said mechanism comprising an insulating base secured to said reflector, a pair ot contact members spaced apart and mounted' on said base, one of said contact members having a spring yieldingly engaging .the inner lamp'terminal and protecting said terminal from undue pressure, the other ot saidb contact members being connected with the adjacent battery terminal, and ycontact means movable.longitudinally ot said casing to lgiridge the gap between said .Contact members and permit current to ilow from said batt-ery through said lamp; substantially as described.

8. ln a battery hand lamp, the combination of abattery, a lamp, a springl urging said battery toward said lamp, a reiector into which said lamp is threaded, an insulating base threaded to said reilector, a spring contacting with the inner terminal necting the other pole of the battery with of said lamp, and means for conveying current from an adjacent battery terminal to said spring and for delivering to said base the forward thrust of said battery.

9. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a reflector, a lamp threaded therein and projecting therethrough, an insulating base secured to said reflector, and a contact membersecured to said base and carrying a spring which yieldingly engages the inner terminal of said lamp.

10. The combination of a lamp holder in the form of an insulation piece, a contact and lamp socket member carried by the said piece, a lamp-protecting element anchored on the insulation piece and insulated from the said member and a spring contact mounted on the element.

11. The combination of a lampholder, an insulation base and a contact and lamp socket member carried by said holder, a lamp-protecting element attached to said base and insulated from said member, and a yielding lmember on said element contacting with the central terminal of the lamp.

12. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-supporting member, a base-plate mechanically connected to and supported by said member, conducting means mechanically connecting said base-plate and an adjacent pole of the battery, and a flexible contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

13. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-supporting member, an insulating base secured to said member, conducting means mechanically connecting said base and an adjacent pole of the battery, and a flexible Contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

14. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-supporting reflector, an insulating base threaded on said reector about the lamp-base, means mechanically connecting said insulating base and an adjacent pole of the battery, and a flexible contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

15. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-supporting member, a thrust-receiving base secured to said member, means connecting said base and an adjacent pole of the battery for rigidly transmitting forward movement of the battery to said thrust-receiving base, and a flexible Contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

16. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-receiving reflector, an insulating base secured to said reflector, means connecting said base and an adjacent pole of the battery for rigidly transmitting forward movement of the battery to said base, and a flexible contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

17. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-receiving reflector having a rearwardly extending portion, an insulating base secured to said portion, means connecting said base and an adjacent pole of the battery for transmitting forward movement of the battery to said base, and a flexible contact member between said means and the central terminal of the lamp.

18. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-receiving reflector, an insulating base secured to said reflector, a plate secured to said base and engaging an adjacent pole of the battery for rigidly transmitting forward movement of the battery to said base, one side of said plate having a hollow portion to accommodate the base of the lamp, and a flexible contact member between said plate and the central terminal of the lamp.

19. In a battery hand-lamp, a lamp-supporting reflector, an insulating base secured to said reflector, a plate secured to said base and having a cylindrical extension inclosing the base of the lamp and adapted to engage an adjacent pole of the battery for rigidly transmitting forward movement of the battery to said base and through the latter to said reflector, and a flexible contact member between said plate and the central terminal of the lamp.

20. In a battery hand-lamp, a lampholder, an insulation base and a contact and lamp socket member carried by said holder, two annular concentric contact members secured to said base, one of said members having yielding contact with the central terminal of the lamp, a lamp-protecting element connected to the other annular member and contacting with a pole of the battery, and a switch for connecting said annular members.

21. In a battery hand-lamp, a casing, a lamp socket member carried by the casing, a dry battery, a lamp-protecting element in rigid relation between the battery and said member, said lamp-protecting element having a conductor member in contact with an adjacent pole of the battery and having a free terminal, a second conductor member yieldingly contacting with the lamp-base and the other pole of the battery and having a free terminal. said conductor members being insulated from each other, and means for connecting said terminals.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CARL HAMBUECHEN. 

